Episode 40: Doodle Divas

Kate Hadfield joins us this week and we find out all about how she and Peppermint create doodles in their designs. We also talk about how we use doodles in our scrapping and some other designers whose doodles we love!

Our Picks:

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Good day Digi Show ladies.. Felt the need to pop in here and say ” YOU ALL ROCK” (+: and life is always a tad bit sweeter when I get the chance to listen in on one of your terrific episodes. Keep up the good work.

Steph, I avoid Instagram specifically because I don’t want to be automatically tied to any social media. If you want to use Instagram-type filters, but don’t want to use that app, you should try Katie’s pick: Pixlr-o-Matic. I LOVE this app! There is no social media aspect to it at all. I use the app on my phone all the time to add fun filters and frames to my phone pictures. I usually take the picture with the regular phone camera, then bring it into the Pixlr-o-Matic app to play with it. (You can also take pictures directly from inside the app.) From there, you can save it to your phone, or share it via email or text to your friends.

I highly recommend this app. There’s no social media tie-in, you have no user name, no login. It’s just a simple filter app. Super fun!

Sarah DG

PS–If you go to http://pixlr.com/ you will see that this company also has a full-featured online photo editor much like PSE (pixlr.com/editor/), a simplified version of their full editor (pixlr.com/express/), as well as their mini-editor (pixlr.com/o-matic/). This last one is available online and in the iPhone and Android app stores for use on your phone.

I wouldn’t mind sharing the pics in a social way and was just getting ready to jump in to Instagram. But, I don’t want to be tied to FB. So, I guess I’ll wait until something new comes out that isn’t tied to FB…I’m sure it won’t be long!

You can share them manually, the same way you share a regular photo on your phone. For example, when I look at a photo in my phone’s gallery (I think on iPhone maybe it’s called your camera roll), I can click on the menu/options button. In the options menu, one of the choices is “share.” This share option allows you to send the picture from your phone to another person via email or text. Since I am a Picasa user, I also have an option to send it to Picasa. You will only have “share” options for services you already use.

The sharing in Pixlr-o-Matic works the same way. It’s only able to share or send to whatever services you already use. I don’t have an option to send it to Flickr because I don’t have a Flickr account. You will have that option if you use Flickr.

And it’s actually not Pixlr that’s sharing it anyway…it’s your phone. It’s not connected to the app at all. For example, I do upload photos to Facebook from my phone. When I upload a picture to FB from my phone that I have altered in Pixlr, there is no indication on FB that the photo came from Pixlr. It simply says “uploaded via mobile.” When Instagram pictures are uploaded to FB, it says “uploaded via Instagram” because you’re actually using the app itself to upload the picture. Pixlr-O-Matic does not do that. It’s just my phone sending a picture to wherever I tell it to. The same as when you send a picture from your computer that you have altered in Photoshop. It’s not Photoshop that is doing the sharing and connecting. It’s your computer.

Wow what a show! I must disclose up front, I am not a digital scrapper and I doubt I will ever be. However, I never miss a show. I enjoy touching and feeling the products too much to ever go digital. Plus I actually enjoy the time AWAY from a computer. That said, I love buying digital files for making invitations. After the show, I went and checked out Peppermint’s and Kate’s doodles and I fell in love. Oh my gosh, I want so many. Thanks to Peppermint I am currently doing New 52 and I had already set my “new” this week as a committment to myself to stop buying so much “stuff”. Well, I think I’ll be moving that back for a couple of weeks.
Thanks for the great show
Sharon

Steph… I am SO with you on the anti-Facebook thing. Also ‘freaked out’ when Instagram was purchased by Facebook… felt slightly betrayed… guess my $1.99 wasn’t enough. And now that Facebook is going public….

Just deleted Instagram. Wondering though (a newbie question)… does deleting the app from phone delete my acct and photos from site? I had already backed up all my Instagram photos to my Mac.

Guess I’ll be trying the pixlr app.

Thanks for linking up doodling layouts. I am SO stuck without an inspirational sample. BTW… also could not ‘see’ your linked layouts. No access granted

Late to the party, but I was browsing iTunes yesterday and the App of the Week is called Vintique. (It’s a funny coincidence that it turned up right after I listened to this episode.)

I used Instagram on my Android, but decided to not keep up with it when I switched to iPhone. I didn’t use Instagram much, but I do miss it a little bit.

I played around with Vintique last night and I loved it — it not only has fun filters, but there are extra settings to tweak the original photo.

I tried it out on my iPad with a Really Bad photo out of my Dropbox (the lens on my old phone was the perfect spot to rest my finger when I was holding it and this photo was both unfocused and smudgy) and when I was finished, it was *almost* shareworthy. LOL

(I then tried it on my iPhone with a Fairly Decent photo and that one turned out nice too.)

Anyway, I just wanted to share. I didn’t log in or sign up to anything, so I think that it is safe even for Steph to try out.

Thank you for such a fun show! I am a die-hard paper scrapper, but I never miss a show. The topics you discuss, the picks of the week and all the great guests are not just for digi-scrappers. I really enjoy all the “geeky” info that you ladies discuss. You have inspired me to get Photoshop Elements and to take some classes to help step up my photography and scrapbooking. I have stayed away from classes in the past, because I always felt I should “know” how to cut and glue paper. On past shows, Katie has mentioned how much she enjoyed taking classes. If someone as talented and accomplished as Katie still takes time to learn, then why shouldn’t I? LOL!! Thanks for all the fun and inspiration and especially for the hard work that goes into each show. It is definately appreciated!!

I have one comment regarding Facebook that may make you want to revisit your position at some time. I have 3 children off at school and one young adult in the work force. Facebook is how we stay in touch and no, it’s not mostly the pictures and page postings, but the Facebook Messaging that we find invaluable. The Messaging app will live on your desktop (mine is in my little icon tray) and your smartphone home screen. You don’t have to be logged into the main program. It works just the same way texting does but with the added benefit that I can type on my computer laptop keyboard a lot faster than I can type on my phone. Frequently I am on my lapotp and my young adults are on their phones (or visa versa) and we can have much longer conversations this way. If we’re both on laptops then communication can be fast and furious. My study-abroad son and I have communicated almost exclusively via Facebook Messaging this semester. Global text messaging is expensive. There is about 8 hours difference in our times. I might wake up in the morning to find a Facebook Message blinking at me because it’s night time for him and he’s wanting to chat before bed. It’s awesome! I use Facebook Messaging multiple times a day and it is the messaging app of choice for my young people.

That is so cool! Facebook isn’t perfect, but I sure do love how it can bring people together. It’s given me a better relationship with my extended familiy (aunts, uncles, etc.) The chat feature sounds like such a blessing for your situation!

I’m glad that works for you and your family. I’m sure it is wonderful to be able to easily keep in touch with your kids.

I have had lots and lots of people try to convince me that I NEED to be on FB and I just don’t see it happening. I will never say never, but the list of reasons I’m not on FB is super long. I don’t really go into the reasons too much with people because I have learned most people really don’t care and just want to argue or change my view. I think people would be surprised to know that it goes way beyond my name being “out there”. The benefit of being on FB would definitely have to outweigh that long list of reasons I don’t want to be on it and so far that hasn’t happened.

That’s okay Steph! I’ve never tweeted and everything you all say about Twitter goes completely over my head and I have no desire to try it. Facebook drives me crazy in many ways but I will follow my children to the end of time wherever they are and FB chat is the best way now…

I’ve avoided FB for years simply because I didn’t need another digital distraction. I am now working with the youth in my church, so I finally created an account so I can see what they’re up to. I mostly send private messages to them, and I doubt I’ll ever post anything about myself. I would love to know your reasons why you avoid it, and I won’t even try to change your mind (because I’m not sold on it, either).

I say more power to you if you avoid Facebook. It’s another site (like Pinterest) that can send me into an informational overload really quickly.

Plus, personal rant here, I find myself increasingly frustrated by how many people in my life are actually annoyed when they find out I didn’t see some important tidbit about their lives on Facebook. Somehow I’ve become rude and self-absorbed simply because I don’t scour all my loved ones’ Facebook Pages each week for the latest updates on their lives. Prior to Facebook if they wanted me to care that they got a new dog, they’d send me an email or call me. And for the most part they were just content with the idea that I wouldn’t know they had a new dog. My family was always just happy if you knew the greatest hits: marriages, babies, graduations, etc. But now it’s like, heaven help me if I’m all “Who’s dog is that?” at the family reunion. Oh, okay, I’M THE JERK! LOL

I’ve been wanting RadLab for so long! I’m thinking that with your 15% off coupon I just can’t pass it up. It’s going to make the best Mother’s Day present that I’ve ever given myself.

I frequently listen to podcasts while I work, so I subscribe to a bunch of them. I wanted to recommend a Pod Cast Downloader App that I’ve been using and that I love! I’ve tried a couple different apps and wasn’t happy with them until I found Downcast.

Downcast works on any iOS device. It’s $1.99, but it’s totally worth it if you are a Podcast geek like I am! (And especially worth it if you have a really bad memory like I do, and can’t remember to check for new podcasts. Or you can’t remember which ones you’ve already listened to.)

The interface is super easy to use. After you have subscribed to your podcasts through iTunes, Downcast will automatically search for updates to them and put them in a download queue. You can set the download queue to automatically download if you want, or to wait for you to look at it and decide which ones you want to download.

There are lots of options on the app to make it function the way you want it to. And you play them directly from the app, which has much better fast forward and rewind options than the built in player.

I love it when I check in and see a new Digi Show podcast! You guys are awesome! Keep up the good work!

Just a quick note to add that Downcast is awesome…but if you listen to podcasts on several iOS devices (like i have a work iPhone and a home iPhone) to get the iCloud syncing across devices you need to make sure its closed when you’re done with it on one device before you open it on the other, otherwise the syncing doesnt work properly…I found out about this the hard way

Hi Steph / Katie – I just finished listening…. you mentioned there was a file you did with wendyzine about quality checking…. I must have missed the post since we were gone last week. Where was it on the main site.. I can’t seem to find it.

Hey ladies. I have an idea for a show that I thought I’d share with you. I’d love to listen to a show all about Disney! How you take pictures at Disneyland/world and how you scrap them. I thought Britt from Britt-ish Designs might be a great guest for this one. I know she loves Disney and has so many great Disney themed kits.

I would love a disney based show as well. If you want to pull in a paper scrapper http://creativelysavvy.blogspot.com/ this scrapper has AMAZING hidden mickey layouts. Which I am sure her design concepts can easily be moved into the digi world too.

I think having Emma believe would be too easy. I think they will leave us wondering all summer if she believes or not. I think what is more likely is that she will arrest Regina on attempted murder or something like that. I could be totally wrong, because I have been often with this show. But that is what’s so fun about it!

I use doodles a lot like brushes and I’ll play with the blend modes (the ones on the layer menu AND in the properties… can’t remember how the two are name to distinguish them). I adore doodling and doodles. I actually got a Wacom Bamboo tablet last xmas specifically for doodling. I’m afraid I haven’t spent much time honing that skill thanks to my to-do list, but my desktop sticky notes (love that app!) are covered with little doodles. I have a word document where I track I scrap ideas, quotes I like and miscellaneous credits that I write “by hand” using my stylus. (actually, I don’t use a mouse any more). It just works for me.

The Bamboo is the low end one (which basically means its not touch sensitive, good for me because I’m a hand dagger when I write and has no fancy buttons), but if anyone is interested, the PPI inputed is the same on all Bamboo models. I will say to any of the PSP users like me (I know there are two maybe three scrappers who still have PSP in their tool box) that it is not Wacom friendly at all.

I just wanted to say that I LOVE the tip Steph gave about using the eraser tool to make doodles look like stamp. I tested it out in Paint Shop Pro and PSCS 6. OMG. I’m in love! The idea that you can manipulate doodle in so many ways makes them an incredibly valuable element! Doodles are more versatile than I ever imagined! I played around with Steph’s idea changing the blend mode of the layer as well and duplicated the layer and erasing parts a little more in some places to add depth. It was fun!

Your episode on doodling also inspired me to take my own doodling more seriously. If I’m going to be true to memory keeping than I can’t dismiss my own doodles. They are every where in my home and on my computer… even in my car! I even doodle on me. Ever since I can remember, I’ve doodled. So, I think its overdue in my layouts.

Thanks so much (and once again, sorry for the novel…) <3 Love you girls!

Not to sound like an old fogey, but I haven’t been able to see everything on FB since they changed it up last year. I gave up trying. I did buy the Friendcaster app for my android. Some things go a lot more quickly on it. For example, in Friendcaster I can select to see just status updates which is my personal favorite viewing mode (I was SO aggravated with Facebook took it away on the official version). I don’t post much on FB at all. If it weren’t for the kids and a few private groups I’m on, I wouldn’t check it every day. The chat is great though. I had a message from study-abroad son this morning when I got up!

Off topic questions …. What pse actions do you guys recommend for resizing for the web at 600 x 600 at 72 dpi (I think that is the standard for galleries???) And an action that puts a bleed around your scrapbook layout 12 x 12 that is generic and not attached to particular photo book site. I see Wendy has ones that goes with shutterfly or blurb etc. but what if you are just wanting to upload your files to costco for example….

I have an action called Sharpen It Web and that’s what I use. For a generic Photobook, I’d suggest the MyPicTales actions I did for them (currently free on their website). They add a “standard” 1/8″ bleed to all 4 sides if you don’t need to be exact. Just know some printers round up or down on their sizes so you have to be flexible if you are not going to meet their exact specs (ie. some are not even exactly square)!

I apologize for being so late to the party — I’m catching up on episodes.

I always think of myself as a lazy paper scrapper — I never journal on the computer, always by hand. Sometimes I’ll even do my titles by hand, although not very often because I really like the look of die-cut letters.

When I started to digiscrap, I gave up my handwriting, using scripty fonts instead. I bought a small tablet (the 4×6 Bamboo) with the idea that I could bring back my own handwriting to my layouts. The results were not as nice as I had expected and I gave it up after one layout, although I thought that if I’d practiced more, they might have come out better. I haven’t tried out my tablet since upgrading to PSEv10 (from v7) to see if that makes a difference.

In this show, Peppermint talks about using her tablet with Illustrator to make her doodles, which I’ve never looked at since I’m not a full Photoshop user. Does Illustrator make a significant difference in the results that come out of drawing with a tablet? Is it compatible with PSE? Or is my tablet just too small and I am just too inexperienced to get a better result even with software help?

I know there is a free 30-day trial, which in my world means that I’d get to use it for about an hour on day 29; it seemed like it would be better to get a second opinion before I tried it out.